In a World of Strangers
by eldaran
Summary: some swearing... writers note the el in this is not the same el as in New Life... just the same name...
1. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: El is mine... everyone else at the mansion belongs to Marvel...  
  
Writer's Note: This is set in another dimension's reality... so some things are different. It is written in the past tense but in first person, as if the story were being told to you... hope you like... read and review as always...  
  
In a World of Strangers  
  
There I were the day it all started, sittin' on me bed, pullin' on me boots when tha' phone rings, so since me father had already pissed off for work, I had to answer it ya know...  
  
"El, wanna come to da mall?" asked me best friend, Aeris, as I answered.  
  
"Hmm, let me see... school, mall, school, mall... whatd'ya think Einstein?" I replied about as sarcastically as you could get.  
  
"See ya there at 9..." Aeris said, startin' to hang up.  
  
"Ok..." I said, puttin' down tha' receiver an' returnin' to me boots.  
  
Aeris, or Witch, as she were known, was me best-friend, an' had been since we were born. She were basically me only friend, 'cause no one 'round here makes friends easily anymore. We've spent hours at tha' mall waggin' school together, watchin' as tha' hours pass.  
  
One time, at tha' mall, we were with her boyfriend, who were like 25 or somethin'. He ain't her boyfriend no more, cuz we're there, playin' tha' arcade games and like, he suddenly burst into flames. It were real strange. These guys who looked like they belong in like, a comic book or somethin' come in an' took him away. We ain't seen hi since. Sure, we've got mutants, but show a smidge o' ya abilities an' the government come in an' lock ya up.  
  
S'pose I should introduce meself huh? Me name's Eldaran, but call me by me full name an' you'll find yaself with a new arsehole. I was 15 then, now, I'm 18. Me eyes are blue and I got crimson-red hair, like me mother used to have, well, if ya ask me father, that's wha' he'd say. Me father an' me, we don't get on so well. Maybe that's cuz he's a overprotective ass.  
  
I met Aeris at tha' usual place at 9am, an' we went in. Me father's rich so I never got dosh problems an' I steered us towards tha' arcade, diggin' to play some Street Fighter. Me an' Aeris, we both smoke, so a few hours later, we left tha' mall an' stood out tha' front, me leanin' on tha' wall while the Witch crouched, puffin' away. It were lunch next, an' the Food Court were surprisingly empty. As we walked through, I started to notice peeps* crouwdin' around one spot, so me an' tha' Witch stood on tables to get a better view. Jus' as I suspected, another frikin' mutan' not able to control her powers. (*peeps = people)  
  
"Can't believe we missed it!" tha' Witch cried, jumpin' down from tha' table.  
  
"Neither." I smiled, joinin' her.  
  
We grabbed our lunch an' sat down not far from tha' crowd. After it had all settled down an' tha crowd pissed off, tha' Witch an' me, we started talkin'.  
  
"How cool would it be if tha' X-men really existed?" Aeris asked, her eyes beamin'  
  
"Even if tha' X-men existed, don' ya think tha' government woulda' shoved 'em away in a cell somewhere? An' even if they could get out, they wouldn' be like in tha' comic book. Stan 'Tha' Man' Lee ain't psychic ya know." I replied, chewin' on me burger.  
  
Aeris shut up after that. She ain't tha' brightest kid sometimes, but she's fun to hang 'round with. We went out for out regular durry after lunch, an' I'm leanin' on tha' wall when this man in a black trenchcoat comes by. He wore dark sunnies over his eyes an' had short, floppy brown hair. On his hands was a pair o' fingerless gloves an' he had this weird look about him.  
  
He come over to me an' flicked tha' durry from me fingers sayin', "Dat's a bad habit mon ami."  
  
I leaned over an' picked up me durry, glarin' at him through me sunnies. I knew he could see me eyes, cuz he smiled strange-like an' added, "Maybe ya be in da mood to meet Gambit later, huh?"  
  
"Depen's wha' ya want..." I said.  
  
"Jus' ta meet ya mon ami." Tha' man shrugged an' walked away, throwin' somethin' back at us.   
  
Me an' tha' Witch, we looked around to see no one were watchin' an' I picked up wha' tha' man had thrown backwards. I turned it over in me hand. It looked like a normal playin' card, until I look closer at tha' face side. It were a spade card, tha' Ace an' under tha' small spades in each corner were printed 'GAMBIT' in tiny letterin'.  
  
"As in Gambit from da X-men?" Aeris asked softly.  
  
"Shh!" I urged her, "Don' wanna get caught talkin' to a mutan' do ya?"  
  
"No." Aeris said, lookin' to tha' direction tha' man went.  
  
He weren' there. Maybe he wouldn' come back... ever. I sighed sternly an' said, "If he wants to meet us tha' badly, he'll come back."  
  
Aeris nodded, she knew I were right. I slipped tha' card in me pocket an' we headed off, doin' our usual rounds of tha' shops before goin' to tha' cinema, pickin' a movie we both wanted to see. It were only a short movie, maybe an hour, but when we come out, we was larfin' like two kids. As we went outside for a durry, Aeris musta' looked at me hands quickly cuz she gasped loudly.  
  
"El... wha's goin' on?" Aeris asked, movin' away from me.  
  
"What'cha mean Witch?" I asked, followin' her eyes to me hands.  
  
Me hands had started to change, like I were shapeshiftin'. I quickly looked around, luckily no one were there, an' Aeris started to panic. Before I could think of an excuse, Aeris had run off. I shoved me hands in me pockets an' ran 'round tha' corner of tha' buildin', tremblin' with frigh'. I climbed up tha' slope next to tha' building, hidin' amongst tha' tall grass an' shrubs. As I carefully pulled me hands from me pockets an' looked at 'em, I heard footsteps nearby, leaves crunchin' under foot. I moved downwards, pullin' me knees to me chin an' shuttin' me eyes tightly, hopin' I wouldn' be found.  
  
"Dere ya are." Said a familiar voice. I peered up, comin' face to face with tha' Gambit man again.  
  
"C... can ya help us?" I asked, afraid.  
  
"Give Gambit a look at 'dose hands mon ami." He smiled.  
  
I held out me hands, which he peered at momentarily an' shrugged, "We're gonna 'ave ta go ta New York."  
  
"New York?" I repeated.  
  
"Yeah, da name's Gambit, or Remy, call me either. What's da girl's name?" he asked, helpin' me to me feet.  
  
"Eldaran, but no one calls me tha' anymore. Call me El." I replied.  
  
"Gambit know dat you've heard of da X-men, cause he heard ya talkin' to ya friend about us before, dat's why he approached ya. Gambit have no idea ya were different." He said, leadin' me away from tha' mall.  
  
"I've only ever lived here in New Orleans, wha's New York like?" I asked.  
  
"Gambit from New Orleans too. New York like da slums here, but with more class." He laughed as we jumped in a rental car, "Got family?"  
  
"Not really. Me father works all day, me mother's dead an' I'm an only child. Me father's an arsehole anyways." I replied.  
  
Lookin' back on tha' day now, I wonder why I talked to Remy, he were a stranger an' I were only a 15 year ol' girl. Maybe I were just desperate fer help.  
  
His plane weren' fer another hour, so he took me home an' I packed tha' essentials, takin' all tha' dosh I could find in tha' house fer tha' ticket. I knew where father left all his stashes, so I wandered 'round pickin' it up. As I sat at tha' table countin' it all, Gambit watched, makin' sure I din't make a mistake.  
  
He were a strange one, this Gambit, he neva took off his sunnies... (mind ya, neither did I...) an' he spoke in a half-Orleans, half-French accent. At 15, I din't take much notice, but I did notice he were kinda cute. What were I thinkin'! For all I knew, he coulda' been atleast 5-6 years older than me!  
  
We sat on tha' plane together, me sleepin'. Jus' as tha' plane landed, he nudged me hard.  
  
"Mon ami, da plane is landin'." He said.  
  
"Oh... alrigh'..." I said, slowly wakin' up.  
  
When we got outta tha' airport, there were a rental car waitin' fer us. I threw me stuff in tha' back an' we were off. He weren' a bad driver either. We come up to this huge mansion, an' I grabbed me bag as Gambit ran up tha' front steps, walkin' straight inside. As I come in behind him, I looked 'round, alittle unnerved.  
  
"This yours?" I asked.  
  
"Nah, dis belong to da X-men." Gambit smiled.  
  
"Will I be welcome here?" I asked.  
  
"De people here, dey are all friends mon ami." Gambit reassured me.  
As I looked around, I saw hallways goin' in each direction an' a huge hall to me right. Gambit motioned fer me to follow, so I did. I weren' too sure where we were goin', but I weren' about to be left alone in tha' place. Gambit knocked on a large polished wood door an' we entered.  
  
Inside tha' office, behin' a desk sat a bald man. He sorta looked at me softly, as if he knew me. Sittin' to me righ' were a short, very hairy, rugged man and a dark skinned lady with long white hair.  
  
"Remy... how was..." tha' man behind tha' desk started.  
  
"Typical. The Cajun goes home for 2 weeks an' he brings back a friend." Huffed tha' other man.  
  
"Logan... don't be cruel, she's only a child." The woman said in me defence.  
  
"I ain't no fuckin' child!" I cried, "I'm 15!"  
  
I could tell by tha' reactions tha' the man behin' tha' desk an' tha' woman were shocked, while tha' other man jus' smiled an' said, "An' she's got a mouth too. I'm startin' ta like ya kid, what's ya name?"  
  
Gambit were havin' trouble hidin' his smile at me outburst as I sweetly said, "Me name's Eldaran, but call me anythin' but El an' I'll rip ya another nostril."  
  
"Charlie, can I keep her?" tha' man joked.  
  
"Yes, she does resemble a younger, female version of you." The bald man smiled, "El, I am Charles Xavier, I run this place, the lady is called Storm, or Ororo and the man is called Wolverine or Logan. No doubt you and Remy have already talked."  
  
I nodded, not sure wha' to say next.  
  
"How did you find her Remy?" Charles asked.  
  
"Gambit was at da mall on his last day, overheard her talkin' to her friend about de X-men comic an' then next Gambit know, she's shapeshiftin' outside tha' mall an' she don' know wha' to do. So Gambit bring her back here." He smiled.  
  
"The laws here in New York are alittle different El, the government can't lock us up for being what we are... but it doesn't mean that people like us." Charles explained.  
  
"How did this happen to me? I'm a normal girl, righ'?" I said, unsure.  
  
All that will be explained in time child. You are welcome to stay here with us if you wish, but you will have to do as they do and I will hope yo have you continue your schooling here too." Charles said.  
  
"School? I haven' been to tha' place since I were about 12." I said, pullin' a durry partly from me pocket.  
  
The other man, Logan were his name, he raised an eyebrow at me as I pulled tha' durry out so I put it back, unsure wha' he migh' do to me.  
  
"You will have to attend normal schooling and classes to help you understand and control your powers." Charles said.  
  
"Is there any other kids me age here?" I asked.  
  
"No, unfortunately. Remy is the youngest here and he is a few years older than you." Charles said.  
  
Me fingers started to twitch slightly, so I hid 'em behin' me back.  
  
"Gambit better show ya to ya room." Gambit jumped in.  
  
Charles nodded to him, "And when you are done, can I see you in the Danger Room?"  
  
"Sure thin' Charles." Gambit smiled.  
  
He lead me to me room. It were small an' furnished, even alittle homey.  
  
"Saw ya finger twitchin' El. Thought ya migh' want dat smoke ya almost pulled out before." Gambit smiled, flickin' one outta his pocket to me.  
  
I looked up curiously to him, "So where are Rogue, Beast, Cable, Jean Grey...."  
  
Gambit laughed, "Ya mean tha' comic book characters? Well, Gambit, Logan, Ororo, Charles an' Scott exist, tha' others are 'Tha' Man's' creations."  
  
"Ya mean Stan 'Tha' Man' Lee made 'em up?" I said, frowning.  
  
Gambit nodded, "Gambit older in da comic book too. Stan say Gambit too young in reality... he's a friend of Charles'."  
  
"Do ya'll have tha' same abilities?" I asked, lightin' me durry.  
  
Gambit smiled and nodded.  
  
Me first day at tha' X-men mansion went real quick. I watched as Gambit practised in tha' danger Room, an' before I knowed it, we were sittin' in tha' 'Great Hall' havin' dinna. That were where I met Scott for tha' first time.  
  
It weren' long after I'd arrived at tha' mansion, tha' Charles asked me into tha' Danger Room, to see if me abilities were ready to come out. I reluctan'ly agreed, hopin' I'd be ok. As I stood in tha' Danger Room, tha' program started, tha' room becomin' a Canadian forest in winter. Logan stood beside me an' smiled.  
  
"Ya gonna be fine kiddo." He said, reassurin' me.  
  
I tried to smile, an' felt kinda scared, then it happened, me skin started to change colour an' I became me best friend, Aeris.  
  
"What colour are me eyes?" I asked Logan as I looked at me reflection in tha' glass.  
  
"Bright blue..." Logan replied.  
  
"Shit!" I muttered, "Me eyes should be brown!"  
  
"How come kiddo?" Logan asked.  
  
"I look 'zactly like me friend Aeris, just without her eyes." I explained, gettin' very angry with meself as I changed back.  
  
Tha' program had gone off an' Charles come in with Gambit not far behin'.  
  
"What is the problem?" Charles asked.  
  
"Me damn eyes didn' change colour..." I growled, at this point I were severely pissed off.  
  
"Gambit thinks maybe ya can' change ya eyes mon ami." Gambit said, placin' a hand on me shoulder.  
  
"I have to!" I cried, throwin' me hand back.  
  
I must've stopped breathin' an' me heart skipped a beat when it happened. Me eyes saw Gambit fly backwards as if pushed by a huge force. When he landed, it was heavily an' on his ass. Me first reaction was to run over an' check he were ok, but me second was to run away. I couldn' do either. I jus' stood there like a stuffed chicken, in shock almost, as Gambit picked himself up from tha' gloor an' smiled to me.  
  
"Dat's some power!" Gambit laughed.  
  
"I... I'm sorry Remy." I forced through me lips.  
  
"Don' worry 'bout it chere, Gambit as tough as old nails." He smiled.  
  
There were me two abilities, I could change tha' way I looked an' I could move thin's with me mind. Gambit were right, I couldn' change me eye colour, but then, that weren' so bad, I'd learn to live with it. Charles worked me very hard, but he were fair about it. I slowly learnt to control me powers an' I became less agro 'bout shit as time went. Finally I were gonna' turn 18.  
  
Tha' mornin' of me 18th, I woke up lazily, had a shower an' ran down to tha' kitchen excitedly. As I burst into tha' kitchen I almost bumped into Logan comin' out.  
  
"Hey kiddo. You're overly-excited today, who died?" Logan asked, smilin'.  
  
"Ya mean to say, all tha' hintin' an' ya don' know?" I said, alittle surprised.  
  
"Oh yeah... Happy 18th." Logan smiled.  
  
"Thanks Logan." I smiled, runnin' in to grab an apple before goin' to find Gambit as I did every mornin'. I looked over tha' whole house, even his room, but he couldn' be found, so I made me way down to tha' Danger Room fer me class with Charles.  
  
"Ya know, I shouldn' have to do anythin' today..." I said, walkin' into tha' Danger Room.  
  
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" cried everyone.  
  
I could feel me cheeks goin' burgundy as I smiled. Everyone were there, Scott, Logan, Ororo, Charles an' Remy. I kinda felt like an idiot, I shoulda' known somethin' were goin' on.  
  
Tha' Danger Room had been converted into a party room with balloons, streamers an' there were a bunch o' present in one corner.  
  
"This were your idea, weren' it Remy." I smiled, huggin' him.  
  
"Course chere. D'ya think dat Gambit forget?" he said, grinnin'.  
  
"Presents time everyone." Ororo smiled, handin' me tha' first one.  
  
As I unwrapped each one, they went in a pile to one side. After tha' presents came tha' cake, an' o' wha' a cake! It weren' big or nothin', but it were fillin'. We didn' get much done tha' day, there were so much exitement, Charles knew I wouldn' get much done if anythin'.  
  
After such an exhaustin' day, I half-stumbled, half-crawled to me room after dinner fer a good sleep. Me room had gotten better over time, a few drawin's lined tha' walls an' me other presents hung 'round tha' room in places they suited. I jumped on me bed, somethin' stickin' in me back. I pulled it out from under me an' sat up. It were another present. There were no card or tag on it, so I jus' pulled tha' paper of it quickly an' opened it.  
  
An' this' where I am now, sittin' on me bed, me eyes starin' at this beautiful ring. It's a gold band an' it's got two blue stones in it. I don' have a clue who gave it to me, but I would like to know.......................  
  
  
  
*does anyone want another chapter of this???  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men, however, I DO own, El, Tracey's name (Marvel owns her powers, or if we're gona be technical, Jubes does.), Nick and Hanna.  
  
Writers note: This is written in an alternative reality, so half the X-men don't actually exist... if you are confused, read parts one and two before ya read this one.  
  
In A World of Strangers part 3  
  
Greetin's again from tha' bowels o' tha' X-men mansion. I hope ya've all been well. Here's me lates' entry into Cerebro's mainframe, which I've been usin' as a diary... I hope tha' Charles doesn' fin' out, cuz he'd be spittin' frogs!!!  
  
Tha' day were hot an' sticky... almost middle o' summer. Temperatures had been reachin' at least 35 degrees (celcius) fer tha' last few weeks an' tha' heat had started gettin' to us all. I'd been sleepin' at nigh' with tha' window wide open, tha' door open an' in a pair o' boxers an' a t-shirt. It ain't been easy to sleep for ages.   
  
Anyways, me an' Hanna intentionally forgot to go to tha' Danger Room fer practise cuz o' tha' heat an' instead, we'd been lyin' on tha' floor in tha' rec room with fans blowin' on us constantly. We'd been talkin' about wha' we thought tha' guys were doin' at tha' moment, which seemed to be a constant subject in our conversations these days, when we heard laughin' from tha' doorway.  
  
"Gambit think da girls need a pool..." Remy smiled.  
  
"I think we need a larger fridge..." I retorted, which followed in laughin' from both tha' guys.  
  
"How come you two can stand around in this heat?" Hanna asked, not movin'.  
  
Nick shrugged, "How are we supposed to know sis?"  
  
I groaned loudly, unintentionally, knowin' tha' it would ask fer some sort of comment.  
  
"Push harder chere... I can see it's 'ead!!!" Remy cried, laughin'.  
  
"Who's is it?" I asked, rasin' an eyebrow.  
  
Silence quickly splattered across tha' room, no one wantin' to say anythin' tha' migh' get them in trouble.  
  
"Hey... can I borrow one of ya fans?" Logan asked, walkin' in, covered in sweat.  
  
"No way!" I cried, "Me an' Hanna have fought Scott fer 'em already an' there ain't no way ya gonna take 'em off us!"  
  
Logan growled, walkin' away.  
  
"Which one o' ya got in 'is way before mon ami? Logan been very agitated lately." Remy asked.  
  
"It's tha' weather doll... everyone is agitated..." I said, sittin' up.  
  
Tha' days an' nights had started to mix into one big long hot mess o' sweat an' people bein' angry an' testy.   
  
It must'a been 3am tha' next time I woke up in tha' night, hearin' thin's again. There were voices, like people speakin' outside me room, but I din't recognise tha' voices. I hadn' heard tha' voices in awhile...  
  
When I got to tha' door, I peered out slightly, shocked by wha' I saw.  
  
In tha' hallway, jus' down tha' way, towards Remy's room, stood two figures, one looked like Logan, only hairier an' the other were a woman, she wore gloves an' had this outrageous white streak in her amber-brown hair. They looked transparent like ghosts as they walked towards me, as if they weren' really there, but they must'a been.  
  
Across tha' hallway, 'bout half way down, where Nick's room were, I saw the glint of a small eye, lookin' out towards me an' tha' ghosts. Then it hit me...  
  
Tha' other person were Rogue! From tha' comic books tha' I'd read of tha' X-men, she were one o' tha' other X-men, one o' tha' created ones, tha' one tha' were with Remy, well, sorta.  
  
As tha' figures walked towards me I held me breath, wonderin' if they could see me. Obviously not though, cuz they walked straigh' through me, as if I weren' there. When I looked tha' other way, wonderin' where they'd walked, there were nothin', like they was never there.  
  
"Did you see that El?" I heard a whisper from down tha' hall.  
  
I stood an' walked down tha' hall, slippin' into Nick's doorway, crouchin' beside him.  
  
"I saw it... wha' ya think it is?" I asked.  
  
Nick shrugged, "I think we'd better tell Charles in the morning."  
  
I glanced at me watch, "It is mornin' Nick..."  
  
Amused, Nick looked at me funny an' smiled. I stood an' crept off to bed, hopin' tha' I weren' dreamin' tha' whole thin'.  
  
In tha' mornin', I woke, hot an' sweaty as always. Me an' Nick met up fer breakfast an' we went to see Charles, hopin' he could explain it.  
  
"We been seein' ghosts Charles... but they ain't like real ghosts." I said.  
  
"What ever do you mean El?" Charles asked.  
  
"Last night, two people, almost transparent, were standing in the hallway near our rooms talking. One of them looked like Logan, the other looked like Rogue, a woman from the comics. We both saw them." Nick said.  
  
"Strange..." Charles said.  
  
"Ya betcha' mother's nose it is!" I cried, "Do ya know wha' it is?"  
  
"No, I don't... I suppose I could ask Cerebro, but don't think you'll get an answer. Do you know if this was a one-off?" Charles asked.  
  
"It weren'." I said, "I've heard 'em before, for at least tha' last 3 months, but I din't know if I were imaginin' it or not."  
  
Charles moved towards the door, "Meet me back here in an hour or so..."  
  
~~~~  
  
Me an' Nick joined tha' others in tha' Danger Room, but neither of us wanted to practise. It were still hot...  
  
~~~~  
  
Charles an' Ororo come into tha' Danger Room soon afterwards an' called us all into a group. Logan an' Tracey come outta practise for it an' joined us.  
  
"We don't know how this has happened, but after what Nick and El told me this morning, it seems there is a reality glitch in the mansion. What you are seeing is what I would guess is the 'comic book' reality. It poses no threat to us, but there is a chance that their reality might clash with ours, making the two realities one. If this happens, some of us may meet our other-halves." Charles said.  
  
"Is it only in the mansion Charlie?" Logan asked.  
  
Charles nodded, "It seems to be."  
  
I looked to Nick, who asked me quietly, "Comic book reality? Who's in that?"  
  
"Logan, Ororo, Scott an' Charles are, but we ain't." I whispered.  
  
Tha' were yesterday... tonigh' I ain't heard or seen tha' figures, but I'm waitin'...  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: X-men are Marvels, El, Nick, Hanna and Tracey's name are mine... I don't have any money... so theres nothing to sue me for...  
  
*Writers note: ~insert writing~ if you see things like this... they are all actions...  
  
In A World of Strangers part 4  
  
Ever had a thought were tha' strangest thin' could happen, an' ya'd miss it? Well, tha' hasn' happened 'round here in a looooonng time...  
  
~shoves Gambit out of tha' way~  
  
It's been crowded in tha' mansion lately... thanks to tha' damn glitch in tha' mansion's reality. I were in tha' kitchen when it happened, talkin' to Nick 'bout tha' glitch as a matter o' fact. When suddenly, there were this scream comin' from tha' front door. Me an' Nick, we ran out to tha' front door an' foun' Hanna lyin' on tha' floor, she'd fainted. Standin' above her were this blue furry guy, he were starin' at us with these bright yellow eyes an' scratchin' his head in confusion with a three-fingered hand.  
  
"Who tha' hell are you?" I asked suddenly as Nick went to help his sister.  
  
"Greetings mein freund, I am Kurt Vagner, aka Nightcrawler, and you vould be?" he replied.  
  
"Me, I'm El, tha's Nick an' Hanna. You must be from tha' glitch, righ'?" I asked, not sure, but thinkin' I'd seen him in a comic somewhere.  
  
"Glitch? I don't know about a glitch..." Kurt replied.  
  
"Charles!!!" I screamed, runnin' to his office.  
  
As I burst in, I almost choked on me own words. There were two o' him, both in wheelchairs, both bald. It were like I were seein' double.  
  
"Child, the glitch has broken... don't be afraid." One o' them said, I think it were tha' one from me reality, but I couldn' be sure.  
  
"Blue, yellow... eyes... tail with spikey thin'... front door... Hanna... fainted..." I rushed.  
  
"That would be Kurt." The other Charles said.  
  
I nodded as tha' door slammed shut behin' me.  
  
"Chuck, we need to speak, now!" come a deep voice.  
I spun 'round to fin' meself almost touchin' tha' nose of Logan, or atleast, a Logan.  
  
"Who's the kid and the impersonater?" the Logan guy asked.  
  
"Logan, remember the glitch in the realities that I told you all about? Well, it's broken." The other Charles said.  
  
"Oh, hell!" the Logan guy cried.  
  
"I think we should call a meeting in the Great Hall..." my Charles said, "You call your X-men, I'll call mine."  
  
The other Charles nodded.  
  
~~~~  
  
It weren't long before we were all sittin' in tha' Great Hall, me reality on one side an' tha' comic book on tha' other. Some o' tha' doubles were lookin' on curiously at their other-halves, while tha' two Charles sat at one end o' tha' Hall, each on tha' side o' their reality.  
  
"X-men, meet the other reality X-men..." both Charles' said in unison.  
  
"Gambit don't like dis..." Remy said, whisperin' in me ear.  
  
"Me neither doll." I replied.  
  
The Charles from the other reality came forward, standin' between tha' two groups.  
  
"We appear to have a slight problem, both of us cannot live in this one mansion, and it seems that the other buildings from our school have disappeared, so I think that we have fallen into your reality. We do not know how long the glitch will last, so please, try to be civil to each of the other reality X-men. We don't want any fighting." He said, movin' down tha' middle.  
  
"Chere, dere's da other Gambit..." Remy pointed him out to me, quickly puttin' his arms 'round me shoulders.  
  
"Tha's Rogue with him, tha's tha' chicka tha' ya in love with in tha' comic book, righ'?" I asked.  
"Dat'd be right... Gambit think she a little too old for him in this reality though." Remy laughed.  
  
"Now guys... go mingle with the other X-men, and don't forget your manners." Charles from my reality said.  
  
"Yes mother..." I smiled.  
  
"El..." he said.  
  
"Yes?" I asked sweetly.  
  
"Don't be a smartarse." He warned.  
  
"If me ass is so smart... then why can' it do me school work?!" I laughed.  
  
"El!!" Tracey moaned.  
  
I shook me head slowly smiling mischievously an' walked forward, standin' before tha' other X-men an' posin' slightly.  
  
"Hey, who cares to bet tha' I can't name all tha' other reality X-men?" I asked, lookin' to my reality.  
  
"I'll put money on that El..." Tracey spoke up, so sure of herself.  
  
I heard a little snicker from Hanna an' Remy.  
  
"Well then... if I can, ya give me a hunn'erd bucks... if I can' then I'll take ya classes fer tha' next two weeks... deal?" I said, sparkin' up a durry.  
  
"Sure." Tracey smiled.  
  
I pointed to Charles first, "Professor Charles Francis Xavier, consort to Princess-Majestix Lilandra of tha' Shi'ar."  
  
He nodded to me, a sign tha' I were right.  
  
"Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler, Scott Summers aka Cyclops, Jean Grey aka Phoenix, who is also Scott's wife, Logan aka Wolverine, Ororo Munroe aka Storm, Henry McCoy aka Beast, Gambit aka Remy LeBeau, Rogue, Jubilation Lee aka Jubilee or Jubes, Katherine 'Kitty' Pryde aka Shadowcat, Iceman, Angel and Colossus." I said, pointin' to each one as I said their name.  
  
"Ah'm afraid she got them all right sugah..." Rogue spoke up.  
  
I smiled an' walked over to Tracey, holdin' out me hand, "Pay up doll..."  
  
Angrily, Tracey plopped $100 in me hand an' crossed her arms defiantly.  
  
"How do you know so much Eldaran?" the other Charles asked.  
  
I looked at him warnin'ly, "Don' call me tha'... anyone who calls me tha' more than once don' live too long. Tha' goes fer all o' ya."  
  
"I'll remember that..." he said.  
  
"I know so much 'bout ya's cuz ya all exist in this reality in a comic book... an' before I knew I were a mutan' I used to read them." I smiled.  
  
Since tha' day, everyone's been livin' in tha' same mansion, in our reality, its been real crowded. I get on well with Kurt, Jubilee, Kitty, Rogue an' Iceman, but I don' see tha' others tha' much from their reality. Me an' Remy have spoken to tha' other reality's Gambit once or twice, but he's older than us an' we don' have much to speak about. It's still summer weather, so tha' mansion is real hot... I can' wait until we get a pool, not tha' we'd get one though...  
  
Jean Grey need's Cerebro now, so it's probably best I go. I'll call next time somethin' interestin' happens.  
  
~knocks Remy out o' his sleep~  
  
"Cmon doll, le's go."  



End file.
